Bill Tarling

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About Bill Tarling

  • Birthday 04/23/1960

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  1. Reasonable, but being able to fell a tree might be difficult to program... E.g. do you foresee that tree would be removed from the landscape? As it stands now the limbs and sticks are removed from the landscape temporarily and respawn on a rough timer of about 2 days. Could do the same with trees but much, much longer respawn, like 100 days. It's not like anyone is going to be going out and clear cutting the countryside. I think you've missed the programming issue (as mentioned by Toebar)... To make the trees available for cutting down would mean having to convert every single instance of the current trees [which are display meshes with a no-go blocked collision path] into trackable items. You would then also need to track each state of each tree item, as well as each harvested item. You would also need to add in an axe and the applicable mechanisms [a hatchet isn't made for chopping down large trees]. To regrow a tree every couple of days makes little sense as well -- branches can continue to break and fall in storms, but trees should be expected to magically regrow overnight. There are a few larger branches which respawn, but that's mainly for gameplay purposes. If you magically regrew trees in a day or two, then players would complain "well why doesn't the cat tail, rose hip, old mans beard, mushrooms (etc) replenish too. Likewise you also couldn't logically pick and choose which trees could be chopped down, because players would then complain "why can't I chop that other tree too?" Given that all the maps would need to be redone [removing all the static meshes and replacing them with trackable items] doesn't really give much in the way of new gameplay value considering how much would have to be redesigned. There's already plenty of wood available. As a side note, chopping down trees and carrying them back is not like simply having some real life firewood. You're not going to fell a tree and chop the whole thing into firewood in the middle of winter. Having done it when I was young, and living in an area and climate extremely similar to the TLD conditions, it took a number of experienced men and a team of heavy horses to transport the harvested trees and logs -- the wood had to be dried enough before they could be used in the kiln. :? While I can understand everyone wanting to chop down trees [as in the Forrest or any dozen of other games], but it simply wouldn't give enough return value to redesign everything at this point. Perhaps it might be considered for the sequel which would take place in a warmer season, but it's not really a sub-zero winter activity you would want to take on -- especially when there is already a huge surplus of available wood.
  2. If you are experiencing frequent crashing or glitching graphics, try the steps below. This will help to rule out some common issues that can interfere with the game. VERIFY YOUR GAME FILES If you play on Steam, the easiest way to check that all your game files have installed correctly is to Verify them through the Steam Client: In Steam, go to your Library Right-click on the game title Select Properties Switch to the Local Files tab Click Verify Integrity of Game Files... If you have the game on another platform, such as the Windows Store, Xbox One, or PS4, try uninstalling the game, rebooting your system, then reinstalling. CHECK FOR UPDATES Check that both your Graphics Card (GPU) drivers and your Operating System (Windows, OSX, etc) are fully up to date! Outdated drivers can make a big difference to function and performance. SET ALTERNATIVE LAUNCH PARAMETERS The game defaults to later versions of DirectX, however not all systems are compatible with these newer display APIs If needed, you can instruct Steam to run the game using OpenGL instead: In Steam, go to your Library Right-click on the game title Select Properties Click Set Launch Options... Paste the following line into the provided text box -force-glcore Click OK, then Close. You can also launch the game in alternative modes using the .bat files which are installed to the same folder as the game's executable (exe) file. DOWNLOAD THIS C++ REDIST PACKAGE (Windows only) If you are using Windows, check to see if you are missing this package: https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/3179560/update-for-visual-c-2013-and-visual-c-redistributable-package This package is normally installed with the game, however in the case of an error, you may need to download it manually from Microsoft. If you have it installed already, consider removing and reinstalling it. We recommend downloading both the x86 bit and x64 bit versions of this package. DISABLE GPU SCALING Many graphics cards have scaling systems that help older games display on newer monitors and operating systems. However GPU scaling settings can sometimes interfere with newer games' ability to display correctly. GPU scaling can be disabled from your GPU Control Panel. For example, if you have an NVIDIA graphics card you would open your NVIDIA Control Panel, find the Adjust Desktop Size and Position page, and change "Aspect ratio" to "No scaling." CONTACT SUPPORT If you have followed the troubleshooting steps above but continue to have difficulties, or have questions about how to do these steps, you can contact us directly for help. If possible, please let us know what steps you have already tried and attach your Session Log file.
  3. Just as a follow up to the end of Season One, The History Channel has posted a lot of extra footage on their YouTube channel (some that's on their U.S. website, but missing on the Canadian version, plus a lot more) 8-)
  4. Thanks ChillPlayer Unfortunately in Canada the U.S. link just redirects to the Canadian version of the site which hasn't been updated yet with the episode you mentioned - looking forward to seeing it. I did manage to find a short video (less than minute and a half) snippet of the first 6 discussing it... and yes that's exactly how I would love to see a full All-Ten get together talking about the experience. Even in that short clip, I loved how they expressed it was way more difficult than they had expected (and the wildlife dangers were real). ADDENDUM: I also found this personal video from the competitor who lost his firestriker... Really glad he decided to release the video [he runs a bushcraft business, so I respect that he admits how a moment of inattentiveness can devastate you. In the video, it's interesting to also hear that the production made sure supplies stuck to the rules [not even allowed to place items in a plastic bag or use tape because they might later be used as supplies]. I'll leave the video inside the "Spoiler" tab in case some users haven't watched the series yet: [spoil][bBvideo 560,340:13xgkbyk] [/bBvideo][/spoil]In a number of articles and interviews, he has also said "Starting a fire with friction was impossible due to the wood in the area being soaked." I know a lot of people want "a simple bow drill" added to the guy in order to start fires easily -- which, having grown up in an area much like in the game simply never made sense to me because I remembered how hard it was IRL just trying to get the damp wood started (heck, even on "Survivor" amateurs have a hard enough time with it using dry wood in hot weather) :lol: And, one of the most vital comments in the video [rarely discussed] was how what we saw was just a sliver of everything they faced... including exhaustion the first day spending 6 hours of slow moving through the area just trying to find a place to set up for the first night. Fast travel isn't even a consideration.
  5. I'm hoping (perhaps right before the 2nd season) that they do a reunion show - just all 10 sitting and talking together about the experience [and yes, even those that didn't last long, because I think they would have a lot to share about how expectations and reality really hit hard]. For the ending, I was impressed and loved the way it was handled... No huge audience and cannons going off with confetti, no hyped celebration... The ending was done beautifully with the winner getting a lot of the time reminiscing about how the challenge affected his outlook on life. It was also beautiful seeing him adjusting to being back in his regular life, and the quiet time with loved ones [again, no huge fanfare or pedestals] -- all so reflective. I have to give props to all the contestants... it's a tougher challenge when there's nobody else around to count on, or to directly compete with... They pretty much were each competing with themselves, and for some it was quite a journey and experience. Good Show.... bring on season two (and who knows, maybe TLD will even inspire to try out for season three when casting calls roll up)
  6. Great article to read [and doesn't give end of season spoiler]... http://www.metronews.ca/entertainment/2 ... treme.html I really love this response which probably sums things up well for their planning: Q: There was nothing you could do to fully prepare you for that experience, right? Chris: Nothing prepares you for the reality. This was the real deal. Alan: You can research and try to prepare, but reality and perception are two different things. And when you hit the ground, reality hits you right in the side of your head.
  7. I'm not quite so sure they knew exactly where they were being dropped... all seemed rather surprised at the environment from the start [and knowing ahead would likely have had some of them select different supply options]. As well, for a lot of experienced survivalists, many think of forests as being much less dense... all seemed pretty taken back by how thick and packed together the brush was. I think not being allowed to bring firearms probably threw a lot of them out of their comfort zone too (takes away a lot of the bravado when predators are at your door). That, and only being allow to select a few survival tools they could use. But overall I think the solitude was the biggest impact for them (all other shows at least had crew nearby)... add in the absolute blackness of the night [see, TLD extreme night darkness is fitting], and the solitude can really start playing tricks on you - especially with minimal sounds around you as well. Will be interesting to see which one lasts longer to the win... I kept thinking how cruel it would be if 9 people tapped out, and you didn't tell the final player -- just let them sit out there wondering how long to keep trying] :lol: Would be nice if they added one more episode at some point just to have all the contestants get together just to meet all together, and exchange stories of what they found most challenging. While we've seen why they left, it's the sort of "sharing the experience" that only those who have gone through it could relate and bring out more about the real impact of the challenge. SIDE NOTE: Another season is already planned, including female survivalists. Gender wasn't an afterthought - they originally did have female players selected and vetted for experience levels, but unfortunately their selections either decline for schedule or personal reasons, and one had to be switched out near the last minute because they simply couldn't get ahold of her. I know a few of the survival enthusiasts on the board would probably be itching to give it a shot... if so, keep track of the site and hopefully there will also be a third season
  8. These weren't amateur survivalists... http://www.history.ca/alone/bios/
  9. That song was pretty good... almost enough to go viral Was disappointed there wasn't more of the winter shown... Look like it was starting to hit them harder and harder at first. With just 2 episodes left [i think], things should happen fairly quickly now.
  10. If you noticed over the last few episodes, they look for sort of a common theme or challenging issue [weather, food, loneliness, predators, etc]... As well, since the competitors are the only ones recording, there's likely only so much they can select to maintain each individual theme [even to the point of the compilation checking the fish trap]. During the earliest episodes, when there were 10 competitors, there was an abundance of footage [with producers trying to assemble as much from each within the show time allotment], so it seemed more active at first. As the first few gave up and called for rescue [most often due to predators], you could see the others adjust their camps [like moving cooking away from the camp] and finding more secure paths. I'm sure predators are still an issue [look at how far away traps are being set], but now we get to see that nature itself is quite a challenge... it would have been too easy just to show non-stop predators and miss all the hidden or unexpected challenges most shows wouldn't show. I think we'll still see paths cross with predators ahead, but for now I figure the remaining few have come to terms or managed to work out territorial boundaries a little better. Now the show can shift the focus on the additional areas of hardship you normally wouldn't see shown. That's why I'm anxious for the winter transition... I'm not expecting a TLD scenario [wrong area and time of year for it], but I am anxious to see how they adjust to the changing season/weather, especially since they aren't well fed or stocked up to begin with. Mental attitude will likely be a key factor... I see Alan having a good chance (based mainly on the way he understands the needs to keep mental faculties flowing - and his range of singing opera one week, then later reciting Edgar Alan Poe and quoting Henry David Thoreau. Detailed to maintain his focus and sharpness of the mind. Likewise with the guy catching mice... it's not so much success or not, but also keeping active in order not to break down (as happened with some of the earlier contestants). Now since we don't see all the rest of the footage, I can't imagine him living of just one mouse over a couple weeks - so he likely is continuing with some fishing (with varied level of success/failure)... but the show would feel rather simplified and repetitive if the only things show were what worked and what the first terrors or hardships were. SIDE NOTE: I'm glad there's no studio narrator... loving the little snippets of information that pops up when the contestants are talking to their cameras explaining what they're going to try doing. The biggest challenge seems to be (4) predators, (3) Food, shelter, supplies, (2) Mother Nature, and (1) Trying not to break down from the absolute solitude [having to maintain enough will to keep battling on, knowing that one call and they can be rescued to safety as an easier option].
  11. So anxious for next week's episode with winter just starting to hit them... reminds me of a game [can't remember the name of the winter survival game right now, but I'm sure I'll remember it if I look through some of these threads]
  12. Episode 4 was pretty hard on some of them... Really shows how serious the wildlife dangers are, and how critical fire building and safe water supply can be.
  13. Okay, watched the third episode of the season... couple of points I've noticed: While the competitors are seasoned, and trained professional survivalists, I was rather surprised that quite often that meant they were prepared as long as they start off immediately with survival tools [hatchet, fire strikers, etc.]... and if they lose or break one of their main items, some of them can feel completely lost how to even continue. NOTE: ^^^ Good reminder as to the difficulty our own character would be facing and feeling in the game starting with very little, and especially since our character isn't a specialized survival expert. Next I was really surprised at the reactions to the complete darkness at night. I guess most of the areas they've trained in likely had some visibility looking around their forest areas at night, but the pitch black nights in this Canadian area challenge seems to have really thrown a lot of the competitors out of their comfort zone. I was also surprised [combined with the night blackness just mentioned] how fast the solitude was hitting them. I would have expected possibly a few weeks or a month at least, but each of them keeps talking about how hard it is having nobody around to talk to. REMINDER NOTE: There are no crew with them, and they were each dropped off and separated in their own area. They were supplied with cameras to do all the filming on their own. Biggest shock was: [spoil]They're dropping like flies!!! It's only been a few days [about the same time as a long weekend] and almost half have called for rescue to be pulled out because the challenge was too much ADDITIONAL EPISODE SPOILER: I was really glad that they showed the rescue team having to head in at night because the competitor was in critical danger... And they had to do so by over 3 hours driving by vehicle just to get to the approximate location where the competitor was stranded. It showed that the competitors really were ALONE and completely on their own to survive.[/spoil] ...and crazier still -- this wasn't even during the harsher colder season! If you haven't watched the series, give it a shot... It was pretty much filmed in Hinterland's neighboring backyard, and you can see why everything in the game should be made to make survival easy. 8-)
  14. Watched the 2nd episode last night, and it's amazing how quickly they're starting to break down and fall apart after just a couple of days out there. One thing I love about the show are the small snippets of insight text and quick facts shown to the side... not distracting, and much nicer that having a narrator talking throughout a show. What really struck me was how much of the info actually related to many posts and comments about The Long Dark regarding wildlife... Players saying just make a spear so you can go after the wildlife, or punch the wolf, or the animals would all run away in real life -- ummm, definitely give the episode a view because it's not really quite as easy building the bravado as it was in The Grey Really impressed with the show so far...
  15. The new reality survival show "Alone" aired its first episode, and I've gotta say it was surprising to see how quickly all the competitors began to fall apart realizing they signed up for way more than they bargained for. The competition is to see who can last the longest Alone in the wilderness. Ten men enter the Vancouver Island wilderness, carrying only what they can fit in a small backpack. They are alone in harsh, unforgiving terrain with a single mission–stay alive as long as they can. There are no camera crews, medical help, producers, or any support. Each contestant is dropped off, completely isolated, in a different area.These men must hunt, build shelters and fend off predators. They will endure extreme isolation, and psychological distress as they plunge into the unknown and document the experience themselves. I don't know if the video streams on the Canadian version of the History Channel will work for everyone, but they're including extended clips, along with some of the full episodes. I know Rob Doar on the forum here would drool at the chance of trying it - but check out the show to get an idea of Hinterland's backyard inspirations. [bBvideo 560,340:3afzpm0r]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xZQkH6kxG5M[/bBvideo]